One step forward, one giant step backward with Rockets signing of Omer Asik

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With today’s NBA developments, I’ve read on various websites that Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is abandoning his Miami Heat plan of putting Dwight Howard together with a couple of other stars and chosen to take the Oklahoma City route.

I couldn’t be more ecstatic. When do Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden arrrive in Houston?

I should have read deeper into those websites. Morey indeed seems to either have elected to embrace a youth movement or was forced into it when he couldn’t get Howard or Andrew Bynum, but it doesn’t appear to me that the Rockets’ youths are in the same category as the Thunder’s.

Within the last week, the Rockets have paid more than $50 million for Jeremy Lin, a point guard who may or may not live up to his hype, and Omer Asik, who doesn’t even have the hype. The Chicago Bulls somehow were able to control the urge to give $25 million for the next three years to the 7- 0 Turkish center who has proven to be an effective defensive player off the bench and little else.

Lin was worth taking a chance on because he has some potential, as he showed last season with the New York Knicks and he will sell tickets and increase merchandise sales and TV ratings for the NBA in China. But Asik? In 21 playoff games over the last two seasons, including this year when he got significant playing time because of an injury to Joakim Noah, he has averaged 1.7 points and 2.8 rebounds, with a field goal percentage of 48.1 percent and a free throw percentage of 33.3 per cent.

Watch out if you’re sitting behind the basket.

Some of the Rockets’ other young players, particularly Chandler Parsons, Royce White, Donatas Motiejunas and sometimes Jeremy Lamb, have shown that they might be decent or better NBA players. But combine them with Lin and Asik, and you’re still looking at a top-level developmental team that might make the playoffs in a couple of years if everything goes right.

Let’s hope Morey has another move in him, one that will pay off sooner.